The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not just a tragic conflict between two nations, but the center of a spiritual battle wrought by the forces of evil that have pitted brother against brother, said the apostolic nuncio to Ukraine.
International News
Ukrainian President Speaks With Pope Francis Before Addressing Italian Leaders
Pope Francis telephoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the president addressed the Italian parliament via video link March 22.
‘Listening Circles’ Promote Encounters With Indigenous at Parish Level
Beginning March 28, residential school survivors, Indigenous elders and youth will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican as a prelude to a papal trip to Canada. The Indigenous want an apology, on Canadian soil, for historic abuses they suffered at government-owned residential schools, many of which were run by the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis Visits Ukrainian Refugee Children in a Pediatric Hospital in Rome
Pope Francis again condemned Russia’s war on Ukraine, calling it a “senseless massacre” and “sacrilegious” attack on human life.
‘Be the Voice of Those Who Suffer,’ Ukraine’s First Lady Urges WCC
Ukraine’s first lady appealed to the World Council of Churches to “be the voice of those who suffer from war today.”
Vatican Releases Pope Francis’ Lent, Holy Week, Easter Schedule
The Vatican published Pope Francis’ calendar for Holy Week and Easter, which includes the Way of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum for the first time in two years.
Pope Francis Promulgates Curia Reform, Emphasizing Church’s Missionary Nature
Nine years after taking office, Pope Francis promulgated his constitution reforming the Roman Curia, a project he began with his international College of Cardinals shortly after taking office in 2013.
As More Than 3 Million Flee Ukraine, U.S. Focuses aid in Europe
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said March 17 that the U.S. is sending an additional $186 million in humanitarian aid to help the more than 3 million refugees who have fled from Ukraine to neighboring countries since Russia attacked the East European nation Feb. 24.
What Will The Pope Say During the Papal Consecration of Russia and Ukraine?
While bishops in Ukraine and Russia are grateful Pope Francis will consecrate their nations to Mary, other Catholics are eagerly awaiting the text of the pope’s prayer to see if he does it “correctly.”
Nonstop Bombing, Exploding Buildings: Priest Describes Mariupol Attacks
A Ukrainian priest described escaping from his bombed-out parish in Mariupol and said he still hopes some Catholics will survive the relentless Russian onslaught.